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Stoudamire Named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year

LOS ANGELES - University of Arizona guard Salim Stoudamire was selected as the 2001-02 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year Wednesday in voting released by the league's head coaches.

Stoudamire, a 6-foot-1, 176-pound native of Portland, Ore., earned the accolades after averaging 12.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists, while averaging 30.2 minutes per game. Through 28 games, Stoudamire is shooting 43.8 percent from the floor, including 44.1 percent from the line, and currently leads the nation in free throw shooting at 93.3 percent.

Three other Wildcats were also recognized with Pac-10 postseason accolades. Juniors Jason Gardner and Luke Walton were selected to the all-Pacific-10 Conference team, while freshman Channing Frye was named to the league's all-Freshman team.

Gardner, a 5-foot-10, 181-pound guard from Indianapolis, Ind., returns to the all-Pac-10 team after being so honored as a freshman in 2000. He currently ranks second in the league in scoring (20.6 ppg), fifth in assists (4.68 apg) and steals (1.79 spg), and first in three-point field goals made (94).

Walton, a 6-foot-8, 241-pound forward from San Diego, Calif., earned all-conference kudos for the first time in his career. A versatile performer, Walton currently leads the Pac-10 in assists (6.44 apg), and ranks 12th in scoring (15.1 ppg), sixth in steals (1.76 spg) and seventh in rebounding (7.4 rpg).

Frye, a 6-foot-10, 222-pound center from Phoenix, Ariz., was selected to the all-Freshman team after averaging 9.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.39 blocked shots. It also marks the third time in the last four seasons that Arizona has had two players on the league's all-freshman team

All told, it was Arizona's 28th all-conference selections and the 14th all-freshmen picks.

Former Wildcat All-American Sean Elliott was also inducted into the Pac-10's inaugural Hall of Honor.